September 20, 2013

Google Redesign Gives Homepage A ‘Flatter’ Look

Following several similar redesigns from competitors, Google has changed the look of their homepage. The new logo features a more “flat” design and the black menu bar at the top of the screen has been removed. Instead Google has opted for an app grid similar to that found on their Android and Chrome operating systems. All of Google’s apps — Calendar, Drive, Google+, Mail, Maps and more — are accessible through the app grid located on the right side of the screen.

Buttons for Google search and “I’m feeling lucky” remain underneath the search bar on the homepage. These changes are available now on the Google homepage, and a company spokesperson says similar changes to their other services will be rolled out slowly.

In a blog post explaining the redesign, Google Tech Lead and Manager Eddie Kessler said the changes are yet another attempt to unify the user experience across their multiple devices and platforms.

“Regardless of your routine, getting around Google should be seamless, and once you're inside an app, you don't want any distractions. So we're introducing an updated Google bar that streamlines your experience across products and devices,” writes Kessler.

The app grid is present in all of Google’s apps, allowing users to switch from Mail to Calendar to Drive, their cloud-based storage service.

Fellow search engine Yahoo also recently changed their logo for a flatter, more modern design, but unlike Yahoo, Google didn't offer much of an explanation about the new modifications.

“As part of this design, we've also refined the color palette and letter shapes of the Google logo,” reads Kessler’s sparse comments about the logo change.

Microsoft also recently changed the logo and layout of their search engine Bing. Like Google, this change was meant to bring harmony to Microsoft’s multiple platforms, beginning with the logo. For the first time since its inception, the Bing logo now matches the rest of Microsoft’s apps and services. The company’s senior director of brand and creative services wrote an official blog post to announce the change and extensively discussed the changes made to the logo.

The word “flat” has been floating around for several months since rumors began to fly about a redesign of Apple’s mobile operating system. Released this week and met with astounding adoption rates, iOS 7 features more colors and fewer synthesized buttons and textures. Each of these new logos and redesigns have a similar element to them, suggesting a new modern trend in both typography and user interfaces.